The Cold War: Political and Military Tensions between US and USSR: 1946-1991.

Similar presentations

Presentation on theme: "The Cold War: Political and Military Tensions between US and USSR: 1946-1991."— Presentation transcript:

1

2
The Cold War: Political and Military Tensions between US and USSR:

3
Origins of the Cold War: 1. The Russian Civil War; ( )tension between US and USSR US backed White Army Lenins Red Army took control 2. Casablanca Conference: –Invasion of Italy 3. Worldwide spread of communism

4
US and USSR both had very different views on the world and their own interests Soviet & Eastern Bloc Nations [Iron Curtain] US & the Western Democracies GOAL spread world- wide Communism GOAL Containment of Communism & the eventual collapse of the Communist world.

5
USSR: 1. Wanted to rebuild their country Stalingrad, Leningrad, other cities devastated –Stalin believed German reparations were due to his country 2. Wanted to Protect their own interests 3. Wanted to keep Germany weak Established border/satellite nations friendly to Communist goals –Under soviet control 4. Believed that Communism was a superior economic system and would replace capitalism

6
US: 1. Wanted democracy and economic opportunities to all nations in Europe and Asia 2. Wanted markets for American goods. 3. Believed that strong economies prevent war US was convinced that the Depression allowed Hitler to come to power and that sealing off nations to trade causes wars

7
Cold War: pitted the US against the USSR for control of World trade and markets 1 st World- US and its allies 2 nd World- USSR and its allies 3 rd World- Developing nations that USSR and US both wanted as allies –Competition for these 3 rd world nations led to wars and lasting animosity towards the USSR and the US –US and USSR never went to war directly against each other Used 3 rd world nations to gain ground and push own agendas

10
Yalta: –Plan the postwar world 1.Divide up Germany to rebuild –Four Zones of Occupation Britain, France, US and USSR –Berlin would be divided the same –Problems: Berlin was in the USSRs zone USSR wanted reparations and Germany weakened

11
2. Elections in Poland: US and Britain wanted it free to choose own govt USSR wanted it to remain Soviet occupied and set up communist govt –Compromise: Soviets would set up govt but promised to hold free election in the near future 3. United Nations

12
Truman becomes president April 13, 1945 –Strongly anti- communist Believed that WWII had begun b/c Britain had appeased Hitler We must stand up to the Soviets

13
Potsdam Conference: July 1945: Truman and Stalin Stalin continues to insist on German reparations –Truman convinces USSR to accept resources (mainly agricultural) from other Zones instead of monetary reparations –Soviets are already stripping their zone of all resources Truman insists on free elections in Poland –Let it slip that US had successfully tested the Atomic bomb

15
The Iron Curtain From Stettin in the Balkans, to Trieste in the Adriatic, an iron curtain has descended across the Continent. Behind that line lies the ancient capitals of Central and Eastern Europe. -- Sir Winston Churchill, 1946

16
Feb 1946: Stalin predicts ultimate triumph of communism over capitalism March 1946: Truman calls on Americans to stop the spread of communism Both sides took this as a threat; beginning of Cold War

18
The Early Cold War Years: Containment Theory: to recognize nations already lost to Soviets but prevent it from spreading further How to end communism: 1. Communist System was flawed; would decay and crumble from within 2. Aggressive actions needed for taking back Eastern Europe

19
Truman Doctrine [1947] Protect Turkey and Greece from Communists (1 st challenge to containment) Britain had been giving aid, but could not continue Truman asked Congress for $400 million to aid Greece and Turkey Wanted to give people a choice in their govt, not have one forced upon them The U. S. should support free peoples throughout the world who were resisting takeovers by armed minorities or outside pressures…We must assist free peoples to work out their own destinies in their own way.

20
Marshall Plan [1948] 1. European Recovery Program. 2. Secretary of State, George Marshall 3. The U. S. should provide aid to all European nations that need it.This move is not against any country or doctrine, but against hunger, poverty, desperation, and chaos. 4. $12.5 billion of US aid to Western Europe; also extended to Eastern Europe & USSR, [but this was rejected]. 5. Goal: help war-torn nations so they might create stable democracies and achieve economic recovery Results: Economies recovered; trade increased; Communist influences dropped off

21
Berlin Crisis: 1948: US, Britain and France combined German occupation Zones: Federal Republic of Germany (West Germany) –They had become convinced that Stalin was not going to re-unify Germany –1949 Soviets created German Democratic Republic (East Germany) Berlin lay in Soviet Zone –But West Berlin was considered part of West Germany. 1000s of Eastern Europeans fled to West Berlin to flee Communist control

22
Stalin also convinced that no reparations were coming June 1948 Berlin is blockaded –Stalin hoped Allies would abandon Berlin –Truman wanted West Berlin free, but did not want a war Berlin Airlift: 11 months; hourly food and supplies flown into West Berlin. Showed US commitment to containment and to Berlin May 1949, Stalin lifted blockade

27
China falls to Communists : Civil War between Mao Zedongs Communists and Chaing Kai Sheks Nationalists 1949: China becomes communist: Peoples Republic of China Nationalists flee to Taiwan and establish the Republic of China US and UN recognize the nationalists as official govt

28
Maos Revolution: 1949 Who lost China? – A 2 nd } Power!

29
The Arms Race: }The Soviet Union exploded its first A-bomb in }Now there were two nuclear superpowers! }1952: US successfully tests Hydrogen bomb

30
US creates the Federal Civil Defense Administration –info on how to survive a nuclear attack

31
The Korean War: A Police Action ( ) Korea had been occupied by Japan since Russo- Japanese War in –After WWII American and Soviet forces entered Korea to disarm Japanese troops and set up a new govt –38 th Parallel divided the country: –USSR/Communist to the North –US/ Democracy to the South –Both countries agreed to withdraw from the country and did so in 1949 Domino Theory?

32
USSR trained and supplied N. Korean army June 25, 1950 North Korea invaded South Korea United Nations authorized the use of force to protect the South Korean Government. – UN was able to do this b/c USSR was boycotting, could not use veto power

33
N. Korean troops had almost all of Korea when MacArthur and his United Nations troops attacked at two points on Sept 15, 1950 –Pusan and Inchon

34
MacArthur quickly pushed N.K. troops back across 38 th parallel and swept them back almost to Chinese border China responds by sending 1000s of troops into N. Korea and pushes UN troops back across the 38 th parallel

35
MacArthur wanted to attack China directly (use atomic bombs) –Truman did not want to risk extending the war –MacArthur called him a coward –Truman fired MacArthur War dragged on for 2 more years Neither side gaining advantage

36
The Cold War and American Society

37
The Red Scare of the 1950s Fear that communists had infiltrated the government; later to general fear that communists were trying to corrupt American life Anyone suspected of being communist or a communist supporter could be jailed or forced to leave the country

38
Loyalty Review Program: –Federal govt screen all employees, new and old employees over 6 million employees screened –Loyalty hard to define quit under pressure –212 fired for questionable loyalty

39
HUAC- House Un-American Activities Committee –Established in 1938 to investigate disloyalty in WWII –Now responsible for finding communists in govt and Hollywood –Movies could influence large #s of people HUAC claimed that many Hollywood figures had communist leanings that affected their movies

40
–Many in Hollywood had been members of the Communist party of America –Some had produced pro-Soviet movies during the war at the govt request Now called traitors

41
Hollywood Ten –Top Hollywood producers/actors/directors accused of being communist spies –At hearings used 5 th, held in contempt, served a year, most blacklisted By 1951, 324 actors had been fired and were no longer permitted to work in movie industry

42
Julius and Ethel Rosenberg »1950 accused of passing atomic secrets to Soviets Convicted of espionage and executed Many believed they were innocent –Project Verona proved they were guilty –Documents not released until 1995

43
Are We Losing the Cold War??? USSR develops atom bomb 2. China Falls to communism 3. Spies found in America Americans wanted Govt to be tough on Communism

44
Senator Joseph McCarthy: accused Secretary of State in Trumans cabinet of protecting Communists –205 known communists in state department –Never produced the documents Fired up Americans that the Democrats were not protecting the US

45
McCarthys whole career was based on fear and accusations. –1952 elections: Republicans controlled both houses and the presidency. McCarthy continued his witch hunts; the search for disloyalty based on flimsy evidence and irrational fears Many disapproved of McCarthys tactics –Feared challenging him would make them look guilty

46
Army-McCarthy hearings: McCarthy began to look for spies in the US Army Army did own investigations and found no spies McCarthy did not buy it, wanted televised investigation »6 weeks of televised debates showed McCarthy as a bully, own to further his career and destroy others. »Lost credibility »Senate voted to Censure McCarthy (10) »Faded from view, died 1957

47
Eisenhower: –Elected in 1952 continue containment keep distance from major Soviet conflicts end the Korean War

48
Key to winning the Cold War: Strong economy and strong military Show that free enterprise produces a better and more prosperous economy Maintaining a large standing army was too expensive; build more atomic bombs and not be afraid to use them –Contain communism by threatening to use Nuclear weapons= massive retaliation

52
The Space Race 1957 Oct. 4 - USSR launches Sputnik 1. Nov. 3 - USSR launches Sputnik 2 which carried a small dog named Laika into orbit Jan. 31 – Explorer 1, the first American satellite to reach orbit, is launched. It carried scientific equipment that lead to the discovery of the Van Allen radiation belt Aug The US launches Discoverer XIV, its first camera equipped spy satellite Apr. 12 – Soviet Yuri Gagarin orbits the Earth once and becomes the first man in space. May 5 - Alan B. Shepard becomes the first American in space Feb. 20 – American John Glenn orbits the Earth three times Jun Soviet Valentia Tereshkova becomes the first woman in space Mar. 18 – Soviet Alexei Leonov spends 12 minutes outside of his Voskhod spacecraft performing the first spacewalk Feb. 3 – USSR Luna 9 becomes the first spacecraft to land on the Moon 1968 Sep USSR Zond 5 is launched. It carried a biological payload (including two turtles) around the Moon and returned to Earth six days later Jul. 20 – Americans Neil Armstrong and Edwin "Buzz" Aldrin become the first men to walk on the Moon while crewmate Michael Collins orbits around the Moon alone.

53
Eisenhowers Foreign Policy: Brinkmanship: willingness to go to the brink of war to force the other side to back down

56
Middle East –Suez Canal: Egypt began accepting aid and weapons from USSR and other communist nations –Britain, France and Israel attacked; wanting control of the Suez Canal –Egyptian leader Nasser thought canal should in Egypts hands –United Nations condemned actions of GB, FR and Israel –Britain and France backed down –Egypt and other Arab nations began accepting more Soviet aid

57
The Suez Crisis:

58
Israel: –1948 became a nation –Supported by US –Arab neighbors supported by USSR –Israel began invading neighboring countries and Palestinian territories Iran: –1953- pro-communist leader was elected in Iran –CIA organized an overthrow and restored former leader

59
Eisenhower Doctrine: US would use any force to safeguard the independence of any country in the Middle East against Communist Aggression